## Religion

### Overview of Religions in Conliah

#### Agathos Worship

The pantheon of the Yargyez Empire recognizes five major Agathoi named the Five Guardians. They are worshipped in public temples and holidays recognized by the Empire. Each Agathos has its own clerical hierarchy and rites, and provinces often combine these with syncretic traditions. Besides these Five Guardians there are also many minor Agathoi who are acknowledged by the Empire as having legitimate cults.

- Iazus is called the Thunder Dragon whose domain includes storms and the law. She is revered by emperors, enforcers, and storm mages.
- Ereng is the Lord of the Family whose domain includes marriage and the home. He is revered by midwives and healers.
- Inidilt is the Lord of the Harvest whose domain includes agriculture and the seasons. He is revered by farmers, especially.
- Burrue is the Sun Sister whose domain includes beauty and philosophy. She is revered by bards, philosophers, and sun mages.
- Lidnozie is the Moon Brother whose domain includes the wilderness and the hunt. He is revered by hunters, and moon mages.

#### Archon Worship

Worship of the Infernal Archons is forbidden by law. Even so their cults persist, as their power is too alluring to resist. Shrines to them can be found in ancient ruins, concealed temples, and the basements of shady nobles. These five Archons are notable, but there are numerous other Archons with smaller cults.

- Igedeng is called the Runic Dragon whose domain includes forbidden knowledge and ambition. His power is called upon by necromancers.
- Dreze is called the Sufferer whose domain includes endurance and pain. Her power is called upon by those in bondage.
- Lozie is called the Chaos Maker whose domain includes chaos and strife. His power is called upon by the envious and mischevious.
- Lundazing is called the Queen of Destruction whose domain includes rebellion and power. Her power is called upon by the treacherous.
- Ogzim is called the Void Father whose domain includes the new moon and silence. His power is called upon by assassins and thieves.

#### Ancestor Veneration

While the Imperial Cult does not officially recognize its practice, the veneration of ancestors is widespread across Conliah. It is tolerated as long as it does not veer into necromancy or soul binding magic. For those that do, there are Imperial priests who hunt necromancers across Conliah. These are the major races which practice ancestor veneration:

- Dwarves believe that their honored dead are granted a unique sphere in the Asteric Plane named Erunhall, which is an eternal feast. Their practices include feasts held at burial mounds and burying possessions with the dead.
- Halflings believe that spirits linger in the Material Plane until they are given proper burial rights, or else they will become restless spirits. Their practices include shrines placed in crypts and annual feasts in rememberance of the dead.
- Dark Elves believe that even after death, spirits remain connected to the physical location they were buried. Their practices include shrines placed in clan tombs and ritualistic chanting intended to ground the spirits of the dead in the Material Plane.
- Lizardfolk believe that even after death, spirits remain connected to the ecology of the marsh. Their practices include carving fetishes believed to be imbued with spirits and the consumption of hallucinogenic plants which they believe allow them to commune with their ancestors.

#### Religious Conflicts

- **Agathoi versus Archons:** If there is ever a hint of Archon worship, then zealots of the Imperial cult initiate a purge. These sweeping hunts aim to be incredibly thorough to root out any trace of Archon worship. To survive, the Archon cults must adapt their symbolism, disguise their shrines, and seek protection from corrupt officials.
- **Imperial Orthodoxy versus Local Rites:** Every province has adapted the Agathos cult to their own regional traditions. A notable outlier are the High Elves, who believe their religious rites are the primitive, correct practices tracing back to the Magellian Empire. While these local rites are tolerated, they are considered deviations and dogmatic members of the Imperial cult seek to bring them back into orthodoxy.
- **Uzvu Monotheism:** When the Uzvu Confederation started encroaching into Conliah, they also brought new religious ideas with them. Notably, they believe there was one undivided creator who unequivocally did not delegate the tasks of creation. From their worldview, the Agathos and Archon cults are equally heretical, and they view the extermination of these cults as part of their civilizing mission.

